By GEORGE ORIDO
The second edition of the annual Kalasha Film and Television Awards kicked off in earnest with the award panel announcing nominees in 29 categories.
The winners will be announced at a gala event on September 25.
It is gratifying to see a dozen new productions on the list among them Ndoto za Elibidi directed by Kamau wa Ndung’u and Erick Reding that has been nominated in five categories.
Riding high on the back of this Kiswahili film are nominations for Best Lead Actor Juma Williams, Supporting Actor Alfred Calypso, Supporting Actress Ummal Rajab, Best Director, and Best Editor Carole Gikandi Omondi.
The Award Nomination Academy members, led by Kiswahili Prof KimaniNjogu, announced the 2010 Cannes Film Best Short Film, Pumzi, by Wanuri Kihuri along Saida, Soul Boy and Shida in the Best Film Category.
Shida’s lead actress Lucy Nyaga is among nominees for Best Actress and has high hopes after winning the fourth edition of Kenya International Film Festivals last year.
Wanuri is competing against Billy Kahora (Soul Boy), Evans Kamau (Togetherness Supreme) and Simiyu Barasa (History of Film) for the best film script.
Simiyu Barasa appears in the coveted list of Best Director nominees against Ndungi Githuku (Score for Sajsa), Wanuri Kahiu and Nick Reding. Interestingly, the best director for TV won by Judy Kibinge with Killer Necklace last year, has been axed off this year’s Kalasha.
A similar fate has befallen the Best Riverwood Film and Best overall film categories.
Two new TV series, launched barely six months ago on KTN, Mheshimiwa and Changing Times have been nominated for the Best Comedy and Best TV Drama. This is a good sign of local content taking centre stage on Kenyan TV.
XYZ (Citizen) has been nominated for Best Comedy alongside Inspekta Mwala (Citizen TV), Mheshimiwa (KTN), and Papa Shirandula (Citizen).
Capital Talk show host Jeff Koinange of K24 has been nominated for the Best Talk show alongside Agenda Kenya, Sebuleni, and Woman’s Show.
Koinange has also been nominated for the Best TV Host (Capital Talk)
alonside Daniel Ndambuki (Top Comic), Jimmi Gathu (How to be Rich) and Carole Mandi (Sebuleni).
This years’ nomination academy other members include Wambui Kiai, Levi Obonyo, Muhammad Suleiman, Wangeci Murage, Rosemary K’Owuor, Patricia Mbatia-Macharia, and Samira Mathews.
According to the Kenya Film Commission officials the Nomination Academy awards 70 per cent of the scores, 20 per cent will be from the industry and ten per cent from the public.
The public voting will be channelled through the organisation’s website www.kalashawards.co.ke.
